Are Goldendoodles Good Hunting Dogs?

Goldendoodles are known for being cute, fluffy, and cuddly family dogs. But this wonderful dog is so much more than that. With proper training, this intelligent dog can become your ultimate hunting partner.

Goldendoodles are good hunting dogs because they have endless enthusiasm and great endurance, and they also love being out in the field with hunters – they make the most loyal companions.

We’ve got everything you need to know about taking your Doodle on a hunting trip and why they’re so good at it. 

Are Goldendoodles Good Hunting Dogs? Qualities And Temperament

Many avid hunters have started recognizing Goldendoodles are more than just loving family dogs. They also possess several hunting qualities that make them excellent hunting companions:

• Doodles are eager to please their owners and make very loyal companions.

• They are highly intelligent dogs.

• Goldendoodles get along with people and other dogs due to their highly friendly nature.

• Goldendoodles love learning and are very receptive to training.

• They also love being put to work.

• These pups love being outdoors and are very strong with great athletic qualities.

So, these amazing dogs have all of the attributes of an excellent hunting dog! 

Goldendoodles are produced from Golden Retrievers and standard, miniature, or toy Poodles. Larger Goldendoodles are very similar to Labradors and Golden Retrievers, as they have powerful and strong muscles that are great for regular hunting. Hunters have also seen a lot of success with small and medium-sized Goldendoodles.

The Goldendoodles, who exhibit all of these positive traits from Golden Retrievers, make really good hunters. The following are the traits from the Goldendoodles parent breeds:

Golden Retrievers

• Highly active and very family-friendly

• Warm coat

• Love to please their owners

• Enjoy swimming and running

• Gentle and soft mouth for good retrieving

• Confident and won’t shy away from a hunt

Poodles

• Water dogs, making them successful swimmers

• Want to please their owners and get praised

• Thick coats keep them warm when hunting

• Obedient when listening, making training easy

• Natural-born retrievers

• Highly intelligent and loyal

Were Goldendoodles Bred For Hunting?

Goldendoodles are the offspring of a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle, and both of these breeds were traditionally bred as hunters Goldendoodles have a lot of the strong prey drive that their parents have and can make enthusiastic and excellent hunting dogs when properly trained, making them popular hunting dogs.

Some breeders specialize in breeding Goldendoodles from parents who come from a hunting lineage so that they already have the skills for hunting. The breed wasn’t initially bred to hunt, but since many have noticed their hunting potential, they have started breeding them as prominent field dogs.

However, it does come down to the pup’s natural abilities and what training you give them. Some Goldendoodles may just be naturally stronger and more skilled at hunting than others. You need to unlock the dog’s natural hunting instinct to help them reach their full potential.

The Characteristics Of A Goldendoodle Hunting Dog

Courage And Loyalty

Goldendoodles are naturally courageous, loyal, and confident, and you can build on these when training them to hunt. They will love pleasing you and showing off their new skills.

Solid and careful training can show your pup that doing well in the field and good behavior will get rewarded. Your main aim should be to train your pup to be a courageous, confident canine companion who never shies away from a challenge.

Confident Swimmer

The Goldendoodle can swim as it comes from two dog breeds that are water retrievers. It’s no wonder they have such good swimming skills and naturally love being in the water. However, it would be best if you still introduced your Doodle pup to the water while they are still little.

If your Doodle can associate lakes and ponds with exciting retrieving exercises, you will find it much easier to train them to be intelligent and obedient hunters.

Energetic And Fast Runner

Hunting and running are high-impact activities, which means that a good huntershould have the stamina and energy to go for hours.

Goldendoodles come from two breeds that are fast runners and can bounce back quickly, so as long as you have a healthy dog from a quality lineage with no underlying health issues, you can expect some solid hunting years.

Retrieval Instinct

These dogs have the instinct to chase and track and are robust and resilient retrievers. A prey drive comes naturally, and this won’t be hard for a Goldendoodle.

Doodles love retrieving anything from balls to birds and will stay very focused while doing so. This natural instinct makes them excellent bird dogs, and they will not stop until they find the bird and bring it back to you.

Goldendoodles And Tracking

Another thing that makes Goldendoodles good hunters is their tracking ability, their noses may not be as strong as other hunting dogs, but they can stay focused and keep their noses down for miles and miles.

If a Goldendoodle is exposed to birds while they grow up, it can start building on its natural prey drive and become very motivated to follow scents and find birds. When choosing a Doodle pup, choose the one that is exploring and sniffing!

You can easily tap into their natural curiosity and hone in on their retrieving and tracking abilities to produce an amazing hunting dog. Ensure that you keep training them and give them as much time and experience in the field as possible.

Training Goldendoodles for Hunting

You should expose your Goldendoodle to hunting as soon as possible if you want them to be a good hunting dog.

This means exposing them to the sound of a gun so that they know what to expect. Dogs can be frightened of loud noises, so your pup needs to first become familiar with them. To prepare your Goldendoodle for hunting, you’ll also need to train them to properly find and retrieve the game.

You can do both at once by running retriever drills with your Doodle – tossing a decoy in the field for your pup to fetch. While your pup runs, fire a gunshot while standing a few yards away from them. After each retrieval, ease closer and closer to your dog. Positive reinforcement is key, so reward your pup each time they don’t react to the gunshot. Carry on with this process until your Goldendoodle is comfortable having the gunman standing right next to them when firing a shot.

You can then start training your Doodle to hunt. Obedience is essential for all good hunting dogs – ideally, they should have had proper obedience training from the age of around eight months old. A good gun dog should be able to sit and stay for a decent amount of time.

It helps to run regular quartering drills with your dog. This will teach your Goldendoodle to run back and forth in a strong zigzag pattern. This will help them find more game than they would if they just walked straight.

To teach your dog this skill, you can set up bumpers. These will guide your Doodle to walk in this pattern. You can also use your arms as a guide, and when your dog gets to each bumper, reward them with a treat or praise. You can then set up a hunting scenario with the help of decoys. Practice this in water and on land, so your dog gets used to various terrains.

Have a bird boy a few yards out, then blow a duck call and throw a bumper into the air so that your Goldendoodle can see it fall. Your Doodle will then start running to retrieve the bumper. Over time your dog will learn to look at the sky for falling ducks or other birds and mark their location for easy retrieval – it just takes a bit of practice.

Before you hit the field, have your dog participate in hunting tests and retriever field trials to show off its skills and give you an idea of how it will perform in the field. Goldendoodles are intelligent and easy to train, so they can definitely make good hunting dogs with a bit of patience and time.

Equipment for Hunting with your Goldendoodle

When going hunting with your Goldendoodle, you need to make sure that you are kitted out with the proper supplies. You need to be prepared for anything when you are out there with your hunting dog! We recommend that you bring the following with you:

• A first-aid kit (wound care items, bandages, etc.)

• Hunting vest (this makes your dog easier to see in the field)

• Waterproof dog collar

• Treats

• Poop bags

• Water and food

• Toys

• Shampoo and cleaning supplies (your Doodle will get very dirty out there!)

Staying Safe When Hunting with Your Doodle

A lot can happen out in the field, and it is essential that you bring enough food and water to keep your dog hydrated and fed throughout the day. Your dog will get tired and will need all the nutrients it can to keep it going. Hunting dogs do a lot of work out in the field, and it takes a lot of energy. Don’t be surprised if your Doodle needs to eat a lot more than usual!

You must make your dog wear a hunting vest so that you and other hunters can easily spot it in the field. Blaze orange is the best color to ensure maximum visibility, and you can also choose waterproof, insulated models to keep your dog warm and dry.

It is also best to put a breakaway collar on your dog in case they get caught in something – we all know how challenging conditions can get out there. This type of collar allows your dog to easily free themselves without the risk of strangulation. Your dog’s collar should also have an ID tag – you never know when they might get too excited with the hunt and wander off!

You will need to carry a first aid kit with you as the chances of you or your dog getting hurt during the hunt are quite high. Even minor cuts and scratches need to be treated as they can get infected easily.

You should also know how to look out for heat exhaustion and hypothermia, depending on what climate you’re hunting in. Make sure that your dog is dry most of the time and has enough access to fresh drinking water. Your dog will be running through fields and bodies of water, and you need to be prepared for anything and everything!

Being properly prepared for a hunt will save you a lot of trouble. So train your dog accordingly, and bring all of the necessary equipment with you. Even the most excellent hunting dogs are prone to bad injuries in the field if you’re not prepared.

Hunting Techniques for Goldendoodles

Goldendoodles are best at hunting waterfowl and retrieving birds, making them great gun dogs. They also have a keen sense of smell which makes them great for sniffing out game in the field.

As gun dogs and retrievers, they wait by their owner’s side until their hunter brings down the flying game. They then either run over dry land or swim in the water to fetch the game and return it to their owner. It’s hardly surprising that Doodles excel at these tasks – their Golden Retriever and Poodle parents were both originally bred with this purpose in mind.

FAQs

Which Doodles are best for hunting?

Doodles make great hunting breeds thanks to their Poodle ancestry. Chesadoodles – a cross between a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and a Standard Poodle – are the best hunting companion of all the Doodles. But as you’ve seen above, Goldendoodles are pretty good at it too!

Do Goldendoodles have a high prey drive?

As far as dogs go, Goldendoodles have a relatively low prey drive which they inherit from their Golden Retriever parents. However, Poodles love a good chase, making your Groodle a brilliant hunting companion!

Final Thoughts

So, are Goldendoodles good hunting dogs? Yes! They have many excellent hunting capabilities, and many hunters couldn’t imagine a day out in the field without them. With a proper exercise regime and good training, this dog breed can make a skilled and quality hunting dog.

These doggos have powerful physiques and strong minds, making them great hunting companions. All you need to do is focus on field experience and obedience training while they’re young so they can get used to the field and the sound of gunshots.

This dog breed certainly is one of the best hunting dogs, and you will love having one of them as your companion on the field. Don’t forget to check our homepage for more advice on Doodles and other dog breeds!